Bendigo and Loddon health screening

The Bendigo Loddon Primary Care Partnership, Sexual Health Task Group, will launch its Sexual and Reproductive Health Screening Awareness Campaign this month, beginning with the promotion of prostate cancer testing in line with the national promotion of Movember (www.movember.com).

** Primary Care Partnership media release **

The promotion of breast, cervical and bowel cancer screening will follow in the coming months.

The statistics recently reported in the Bendigo Loddon PCP Community Profile identified that participation rates in health screening for Greater Bendigo and Loddon are lower than the Victorian average.

Furthermore, compared to the Victorian average for 2008-2010 of new cancer cases for Greater Bendigo and Loddon, statistics demonstrate an increase, especially for men as they had the highest number of all new cases, apart from breast cancer. Specifically, prostate cancer was the most common new cancer for both local government areas, followed by bowel and then breast.

“The Prostate Cancer Foundation recommends that from the age of 50, men should be discussing testing for prostate cancer with their GP,” says David Heath, Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse from Bendigo Health, “and men with a family history of prostate cancer should be seeking advice from their GP from the age of 40.”

Like hundreds of men across Bendigo Loddon, local building company, Adrian Bassett Homes, is joining the fight against prostate cancer by registering all employees as participants in Movember.

“Living in a regional town and having two boys myself, I felt that I wanted to do something to highlight how important it is for men to take care of their health,” says owner Adrian Bassett, “and working in a male dominant industry, I felt that doing Movember would raise discussion and awareness on the worksite, which it has!”

For more information about the promotion and services available, please contact:

SHTG – Bendigo representative

Louise Holland

Chairperson

BLPCP Sexual Health Task Group

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it./ ph: 5448 1600